Field
The present invention relates generally to bicycles, and more particularly, to a safety device for encouraging overtaking motorists to give wide berth to bicyclists, especially at night.
Related Art
Bicycles are in near constant conflict with drivers of motor vehicles due to the situation where an automobile overtakes a bicyclist traveling in the same direction on a roadway. All too often, bicyclists are hit by motor vehicles because of poor driver judgment. The motor vehicle driver must simultaneously balance the risk of passing closely to an unpredictable bicycle operator and anticipating traffic in an oncoming lane or traffic in a second (left) lane where other vehicles may be traveling in the same direction. The conflict is exacerbated at night due to the possibility of the bicycle providing little to no rear-facing lighting to overtaking vehicle operators. The motor vehicle driver may have little time in which to react to the presence of a bicyclist who is either in the vehicle driver's lane of travel or possibly proximate to the lane of travel—on the opposite side of the right bordering white line that forms a boundary between the bicyclist and the lane of travel.
A few States have passed laws to help give motor vehicle drivers guidance on how much space to give a bicyclist. For example, in September 2014, California passed Assembly Bill No. 1371, the Three Feet for Safety Act, which requires that motor vehicle drivers give at least three feet of clearance to a bicyclist when overtaking a bicyclist traveling in the same direction as the motor vehicle. While such laws are well intentioned, these laws fail to require a change in equipment which would provide bicyclists and motorists an actual increase in safety. Further, enforcement of these laws is likely to be lax. Yet further, there is little evidence that improved bicycle-friendly laws alone can reduce the incidence of motorist-bicyclist accidents. Currently, there are no devices that specifically address a legally required distance between a motor vehicle and a bicyclist when the vehicle is passing a bicyclist.
Accordingly, there is a substantial opportunity to improve the safety and peace of mind of bicyclists, and to provide increased visibility of bicyclists to drivers of motor vehicles irrespective of existing or improved laws designed to encourage bicyclist safety.